Sak Yant - ÊÑ¡ÂÑ¹µì -
Buddhist Temple Tattoos

Sak Yant; Sak
- meaning "to tap" or, "to tattoo", and Yant,
meaning
"Yantra".
Originally derived from the Sanskrit word "YANTRA", the Ta and Ra
letters are not pronunced in Thai Language, rather spelled as "yantr",
including a symbol to silence the last consonant (called "Gaaran").
Whatever the case, Sacred Yant, Yantra, or Yan,
however you prefer to call them, have existed since long before the
Buddhist Era, dating back to pre Hindu times.

Sak Yant/Sakyan

is the Thai name for
the Tattooing of Sacred geometrical designs on the
skin. Yant (or Yantra, as we call them in the west), are normally
tattooed by Buddhist monks,
or BrahminHoly
men . The Yant tattoos have
developed over the centuries under the influence of several different
things

The Yantra designs that already existed in Hindu
India were adapted
by the Thais as Buddhism arrived from neighbouring India.

The wars of the Kingdom in the past - especially
during times of King Somdej Pranaresworn maharaj the warriors relied on
yant magic for protection in Battle.

The Khmers influenced the lettering of the Yant,
their form of Sanskrit being famous for its magical powers - the Khmer
were extremely feared by the Thais for their powerful magic spells.

Local beliefs and customs causing adaptations for
local necessities.

What is a Yant

A Yant is a Sacred Geometrical design.Sacred
Geometry
has existed in countles forms, and is to be found to have been used in
most Advanced Ancient Cultures of Human History.

A "Sakyant"
tattoo is the
general way that a "Farang"
(westerners are referred to as such in Thailand), uses when referring
to one of these Sacred Buddhist
Yantra tattoos: this is actually wrong,
because the tattoo simply called a "Yant (ÂÑ¹µì)"
in Thai.
So, when going for Sak Yant
from one's master, one should not say
"I'm going to get another sakyan
tattoo"!.
One should say; "I am going to recieve another Yant.

Inspired by the Great Master Hlwong Por Phern and the
Tattooist
Monks of Wat bang Pra temple in Thailand.

Sak-Yant is designed to be viewed using FIREFOX - click on banner above to download!

How did the Yant come to
exist?

Legend has it, that the Father of Yant magic were the
'Ruesi'; a kind of
hermit/sorceror, living in the depths of the forest,Studying spells and
practising their magic. These Ruesi existed a long time before Buddhism
existed. They are often mentioned in the Thai Ramakiarn (a version of
the Hindu Ramayana Epic Myth), and are usually depicted holding a black
slate and chalk, with a Yant design inscribed on the slate. The Ruesii
wore long hats; and normally had long wispy beards.There are so many
Ruesi stories, such as the ones told in the 'Hnang Thalung' shadow
puppet theatre in Southern Thailand.Kings, Emperors and Political
leaders normally had a Ruesi as their advisor, rather like the Court
magician in Mediaeval times here in the Western world The Ruesii was
also responsible for creating the Magic Book of power so treasured by
the Hindu Gods, known as Thrai Paet, or Thrai Waet; meaning Three
Sciences, or Three Magics. This book was the theme for several stories
in the Ramakiarn Epic.

Neighbouring Khmer (Cambodia), has always had a
reputation for it’s Shamanistic magic and Sorcery. The use of Magic
Yantras, and Sacred Alphabet to write them with (Known as “Khom
Agkara”) has been common with the Khmer race for thousands of years.

Local belief in Nature Spirits, Animism and other
sub-belief systems have been also incorporated into the Pantheon of
yant designs that exist in the Thai Tradition to date.

The Tradition in Ancient Thailand that Warriors be
tattooed in order to make their bodies slippery and hard to grab in
battle has caused many Yant tattoo designs to be developed that are
intended to protect against penetrative weapons (such as guns, knives
etc). Thais believed that if you are covered with yant tattoos, it will
make your skin slippery and hard to penetrate with a sharp weapon.

Who wears Yant tattoos?

The Yant tattoos are worn by people from all levels of
Thai society, from Thieves, Asassins and highwaymen, right up to the
level of Important Politicians, Police commissioners, Judges and Civil
servants.
Currently the Ancient Art of Sak Yant is in danger of disappearing,
despite a revival in the Youth Culture, due to a Yant related film
released a couple of years ago (“Maha Ud”), which caused a whole class
of schoolboys to travel to a Temple, where they received the Yant
tattoo called Maha Ud (renowned to be able to stop a bullet),from a
Monk there.

This caused an outrage from the parents of the schoolboys in mention,
and has resulted in the Thai Government putting pressure on the
Buddhist organisms responsible to try to do away with this Ancient Art.
It seems that one crazy monk has caused a big problem for all Temples
in Thailand that perform the service of Sak Yant.

There are many “Samnak Ajarn Sak Yant” ÊÓ¹Ñ¡ÊÑ¡ÂÑ¹µì
(Yant Tattooist/Masters offices) in Thailand still, but the most famous
of these as far as Foreigners are concerned, is the Tample of Wat Bang
Pra in Thambon Bang Gaew Fa on the outskirts of Nakorn Chaysri town,
Nakorn Phatom Province, near Bangkok.

This is where Spencer approached the monk Hlwong Pi
Pant, tattooist Monk, apprenticed to the most famous Yantmaster of all
time (deceased 2004), Hlwong Por Phern Tittakunoe (Officially known as
Pra Udom Prachaanaat.

Spencer is a Buddhist and Tattooist who has made
Thailand his home, and has been visiting Wat Bang Pra Temple as a
disciple of Buddhism , but also with extreme interest from the
Tattooists point of view.”I stumbled upon this Temple in a time of
great sadness in my life, I approached my teacher Hlwong Pi Pant at
first as a disciple of Buddhism, but was surprised to see that this
monk was applying a tattoo to another monk as I arrived there!” “What
were these strange designs, and the strange script that was tattooed
around the main designs, that were so harmoniously arranged in a
strictly defined composition…all elements of these extremely simple,
but overwhelmingly powerful symbols flowing together with Supreme
harmony?”

“I received one of the Yant tattoos from my Master ;
This first tattoo I recieved was Yant Gao Yord (see foto).
Gao Yord means Nine Peaks, and represents the Nine Peaks Mount Meru;
sacred mountain in the centre of the Universe, with the four Continents
around it.

Before the Yant was applied I paid my respects (Hwai Kru
gaeji Ajarn) by bowing to the floor 3 times, palms placed before my
forehead between each bow. Then all present grab each other around the
waist and I offer the silver tray with all our offerings of ; Orchids,
Incense, cigarettes, money in envelopes, and anything else you may wish
to offer.” “Hlwong Pi Pant proceeded to chant a “Kataa” (Mantra) in
Pali Sanskrit (the language the Buddha used to teach his Dharma).

After this, he prepares to take one of
the many “Mai Sak”(tattooing sticks), from a bottle of alcohol which
served as disinfection for the 20 or so instruments in bottles at his
side. I have counted an average of between 30 and 70 tattoos in one day
done by the Master!!!, so this would mean maybe an hour at the most for
an instrument to be in the alcohol bottle.

Then I was told to sit in front of the Hlwong Pi Pant,
with my back to him. The Master takes his “Mai Sak” and places a color
cap between his little finger and ring finger. He then proceeds to draw
a grid on my neck, with squares inside it, and nine buddhas on top of
each box. Each box contains a letter in Ancient “Khom”. Khom is the
alphabet used to write the Holy Buddhist Prayers in the skin as a
tattoo. The language is not Thai, it is Pali Sanskrit; But the
Lettering is Ancient Khmer, or Khom, as the Thais call it. The Yant I
received is called Gao Yord, and means Nine Peaks (gipfel) meaning the
peaks of Mount Meru (sacred mountain in the centre of Buddha Realm).”

“On completion of the Tattoo, Hlwong Pi Pant chants a
Kataa, and blows it into my Yant, the room is silent, and a feeling of
well-being and peace rises inside me.” “The mantra says Gu Ti Gu Ya Tha
Saa Wae Taa Saa Gu, and is not a phrase as such, rather use of
syllables to represent certain elements involved with Buddha magic.” “I
became so involved with this Topic, that I finally asked Hlwong Pi Pant
if I could learn about this,” “being a Buddhist and also Tattooist had
given me the idea that this may be something I could learn about.”

“Hlwong Pi Pant was ok on this, but seemed sceptical
that I could do it, my Thai was not so good back then, and so he said I
should ask again when my Thai was better.” “In the meantime, I managed
to find an extremely rare book, called Yant 108, written by a former
Head of the Thailand Brahmin Order; Pra Ratchakru
Taepawamuni.”

Please
support spencer's new informational web project about Koh lanta island
in Thailand's andaman Sea www.kohlantakolanta.com
by visiting the site.
It's still growing as Spencer edits and adds new content, so please be
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“Whilst studying Thai reading and writing, and learning
about how to draw, and invoke the 108 Yant designs from this gem of a
Literary work, I was introduced into the methods for reading Khom
letters too, as the Yant 108 book teaches it as the first necessary
step to be able to make yant designs according to the traditional
methods.”

“Each yant has it’s own particular Mantra Prayer, and
there are strict rules about ?the way you draw each Yant. For example,
when inscribing a Yant on Parchment, or Cloth, you may not lift the
writing instrument from the surface whilst drawing the outline..it must
all be done with a continuous line!”

“How is this possible? Well most of the yant make this
possible through the use of knot work like loops for directional
changes in the outline.So it is possible to draw the whole design in
one throw, ending where you began, without having lifted your pen from
the paper.”

“As for the Hand Tattooing of Yant in Thai Temples ; The
Tattooing method does not permit the continuous tattooing without
lifting the instrument of course, so this rule is obviously not applied
as far as Tattooing of Yant is concerned.”

“After long months locked in the back of my tattoo
studio on the island of Koh Lanta studying the Khom script and
practising drawing the Yant, I returned to the Temple to let Hlwong Pi
Pant check up on me, I was afraid of getting something important wrong,
so I needed his he"He was extremely pleased with my studies, and said I
should go ahead and practise Sak Yant ..So I did!..Both with machine,
and with the Hand Instrument he gave me (put through the autoclave of
course).
After trying a few with the hand instrument, I returned
quickly to the Temple, to pay even greater respect to Hlwong Pi Pant. I
say even greater respect, because , although it is common knowledge
that Thais like to take the difficult approach to doing something, well
I never knew their choice of method for hand tattooing is the HARDEST I
have ever encountered.!!!"

I really had to take my hat off to the Master when I
think of writing Pali Sanskrit in tiny letters that wind round in
circles upside down, backwards , every direction! And you have this
pole with two spike filed off the split end . The pole is nearly a
meter long, and you are supposed to hold it between ?the thumb and
forefinger of your outstretched, palm upwards hand.!”

Till now I have managed to decipher the secrets of many
many Yant designs, and can design most of them myself. As far as the
hand tattooing methods of Yant Tattoo, I must say I am still
progressing, you don’t get a tattoo like this every day” Before I ever
made a Yant, I went to The Abbot of Wat bang Pra, to ask permission to
do this; He was kind enough to say yes, if not I should not have
considered doing it.

KohlantaKolanta dot
com is a non-commercial, not tourism related
informational website about the real face of local life on Koh Lanta
island in Krabi Province,
Thailand.
Informational articles on all aspects of real life on Lanta will be
presented.Local cookery, flora and fauna, local terminology, a brief
history and documentation of every sub-district along with a cultural
study of Lanta's folk history and traditions.A special feature will be
the blogsheet "Baw's Diary"
which will document the daily activities of
a local fisherman named Baw, who still hunts and gathers with no need
to buy food for his family, just as his forefathers did.
Local sports and pastimes will also be documented.
Galleries and forums will be added soon.
Created by the author of sak-yant.com, Spencer Littlewood.

The Himapant Animals, and
the Phenomenon of “Khong Khuen”

Himapant animals are Mythical animals
from the Himapant forest of India (an ancient Legend). The Animals
consist of a whole Pantheon of amazing creatures, such as the 'Kinnari'
and 'Kinnorn' (Half man, half bird - those of you who have visited a
Thai Temple may have seen some of these figures guarding the Temple
grounds, along with the 'Yak' (Green and red Giants with big teeth).

There are so many different Himapant animals, most of
them are mixed together from 2 or 3 different animal types, such as
'Macchaanu'; Hanuman's son, born of hanuman the monkey General, and
'Nang Suwanna Macchaa', a kind of mermaid. Macchaanu has a monkeys body
and face, but posesses the tail of a fish! The Himapant animals
represent elemental powers and Boddhisattwas (Compassionate
protectors), and thus are considered very powerful as tattoo Magic.

One phenomenon that is apparently unexplainable about
Yant tattoo is 'Khong Khuen', a kind of posession, where the tattooee
recieves the tattoo of the Himapant animal and upon receiving the
'Kataa' (Mantra) blown into his tattoo from the Monk, he then becomes
taken over by the spirit of the Himapant animal he recieved as a tattoo.

I have seen this phenomenon many times, and find it to
be unexplainable.Some people may fake it i am sure, but some of the
cases i have seen are undoubtably authentic. The subject is completely
innocent to what happened when he was in trance.

Thais believe that the Himapant animals can rise to
protect you in times of danger..but i also believ that they can rise up
if you behave wrongly and do not respect the rules of wearing a Yant
tattoo.

Anyone wishing to see this phenomenon should visit the
Temple on 'Master Day' where thousands of disciples throng to pay
respects to the deceased Master, Hlwong Por Phern. As to the rules of
wearing a yant tattoo, there are many. A few of the more common ones
are listed below;

Rules
of Abstention

Do not eat Star fruit, Pumpkin, or any other
'Gourd' type Vegetable.

Do not Be anybodys Lover who is already married

FORBIDDEN in Extreme, to slander anybody's
Mother (this means most women, if you think about it).

Do not eat food from a Wedding, or Funeral
banquet.

Do not Eat left-Overs.

Do not Duck under a Washing Line, or an
overhanging building.

Do not Duck under a Banana Tree of the type
Thaanii (classed as important to avoid).

Do not cross a single head bridge; Large or
Small bridges are not Forbidden.

Do not sit on a Ceramic Urn (Common in
Thailand).Especially a Cracked, or Broken one.

Do not let a Woman Lie on Top of You, or Sit on
Top either.

Do not permit a Man to be Brushed by the blouse
or skirt of a Woman, or crossed in Front of; Especially during the
Menstruative Period.

Yant Tattoo Design Composition

Most Backpiece tattoos are
composed in a similar manner, as far as the composition is concerned; A
typical composition would be;

Below that is Yant Paed Tidt, then Hongs
(Swans), under each of the shoulder blades, Yant Suea Maha Amnaaj
(Imperial Tiger) in climbing posture below the Hongs, one on each side.

In the lower middle of the back, one may see the
image of Hanuman, the monkey General of Rama's army in the Hindu
Ramayana Epic.

Hanuman is tattooed here more often than Dam Due
(image coming soon). There are many different Hanuman designs which one
can tattoo, but the one used generally is 'Hanuman 4 Gorn' (four armed
hanuman) or 'Hanuman Haw pen Daw pen Duean' (Hanuman Yawning at the
moon).

Underneath this, normally, is the famous Suea Paen
(Leaping Tiger) Leaping Tiger was often also tattooed on the chest by
highwaymen and Bandits to ward off bullets, and give them power in
times of self defence.Each Animal, or Yant tattoo, has it's own heart
Mantra, which is said to be the cause of the Khong Khuen (animal Spirit
posession).

If you read the Agkara Lettering
within the boxes, it says;

Gu Ti Gu Ya Tha Saa Wae Taa Saa Gu:- From
top to bottom and left to right;

Once in the Left hand half, and once in mirror
script on the right hand side. Kaataa (Agkara) within the two
back-cover Yant (the magic squares)read as follows;

Master Day

On Master day, you
can observe this phenomenon occur in great numbers of people. When the
Master chants the heart Mantra of Crocodile, for example.. many people
will start writhing around on the floor like a crocodile does, and
making growling noises.

The Leaping Tiger Mantra will cause people to
rear up on their hind legs, hands outstretched before them, clawing at
the air and roaring like a tiger! Each animal has it's own way of
appearing, and if you are familiar with the different actions a person
in trance performs when posessed by an animal, it is possible to
recognize which animal he is posessed with. What makes this phenomenon
hard to explain, is the fact that when the master chants the heart
mantra of each animal Yant, it is not in Thai language, rather Pali
Sanskrit! This means that the disciples in the crowd have no way of
knowing which Mantra of which animal the Master is chanting.
Nevertheless when 10 people hear the heart mantra and turn into
a Tiger , you will be able to see afterwards that all ten of them have
the tiger tattooed on them. A devotee with a crocodile will not turn
into a tiger, and vice versa.

The different tattoing instruments used
in Sak Yant are ;

In Ancient times, one would use a very hard, sharp
pointed Rattan tree thorn, which are very long upto three feet in
length.

Some monks would use the spoke of an umbrella, filed
down to a sharp point. In days of old, coffin nails were taken from a
cremation and fitted to the tattooing instrument and sharpened. Monks
would chant magic spells and blow them into the tattooing instrument;
this kind of instrument is considered to be extremely powerful.

The preparation of the inks are different in every
Temple, and with every Master. Some Masters stick to the old methods,
and may make the black pigment from the sap of a rare tree that is
found in the North east, close to Laos and Cambodia.

Old masters may mix snake venom in the Ink.

Others take the Common Chinese ink, mixed with whisky
and aromatic oils.

Some traditions mixed in ash from the cremation of a
High Master / Monk.All sorts of variations were possible, and there
seems to be no real fixed method.

The kind of instrument used currently at Wat Bang Pra
is a plain stainless steel “Javelin” like spike, split at the tip into
two sharp points. This kind of double point instrument is called “Bpag
Chalaam”, meaning sharks mouth. It looks kind of like the nib of a
fountain pen, and has the two points bend together to almost touch each
other. This causes the tip to hold a bubble of ink in its mouth, thus
superior to a single point spike.

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Yant are not only applied as tattoos, but also on
many other kinds of medium, such as cloth, inscribed on the back of
metal templates to be used as protective amulets in the home, temple,
car etc. Another popular form of wearing Yant Magic, is to use
'Thagrud', meaning the Yant is applied onto a parchment, rolled up into
a scroll, and then fed into a metal tube, or sometimes wrapped in the
skin taken from the forehead of a Tiger. The Thagrud is then ties to a
cord and wrapped around the waist.

Visitors to Thai Temples may have seen men
wearing a whole chain of these Thagrud wrapped around the waist. Some
people wear a whole chain of Phallic (Penis) images tied around them
too _ this is similar to the 'Shiva Lingam' representing the Phallic
masculine force.There is also a Yant tattoo that includes a Penis and
testicles, with drops of semen ejecting; this design is not
particularly Buddhist, but as i said already, the Yant Tattoo tradition
is an amalgamation of many beliefs and superstitions.

Also the Yant are maybe to be seen most often on the
back of Thai Monk amulets, something which many of us who have been to
Thailand have either bought as a memento, or recieved as a gift. I
recieve much mail from visitors to my website and forum;
www.sakyant.com, asking me to translate and explain the yant on their
monk coins..also to analyze their Yant tattoos.

At first i did this eagerly, but as the website grew, i
started recieving too many requests, and it became a full time job. I
still design Yant tattoos for people who want a special yant making for
them for a small donation.

All Yant have their own particular design methods and
meanings; Each yant has a Prayer (Kataa) which should accompany it, and
a 'Heart Mantra'. Yant Tattoos have a strict application method, which
must be learned, it is not enough to just tattoo the design on AND
THAT'S IT'!

The tattooist must concentrate extremely to make the
tattoo, due to the fact he must write in Khom (ancient Khmer sanskrit)
whilst he is silently saying a mantra, which changes whith each new
element of the design (Bones, Knots, Letters, Buddhas etc).

Onk Pra represents The Buddha
Himself.

The Half Moon Symbol to be seen above 'Onk Pra' so
often represents the Moon Illuminating the way for us in the Dark Hours.

The small Circle (Sun Symbol) to be seen above
many Yant means the Sun lighting our way in the daytime; and that all
Humans and Living beings exist under the influences of the stars and
Planets, and that these forces enable us to develop and brings Changes.
The Zig - Zag spiral line on the top of eaxh Yant is called Unaalome.

Unaalome represents the Saints who have attained
the status of Enlightened beings.The Fetters of desire have been
disentangled and discarded.... These beings do not waver on their path
as normal Humans do (Note the end of the zig zag evolves into a
straight line, meaning that he has ceased to enter into diversion and
is on a straight, direct path to Nirvana. The spiral in the middle
represents the Crown of the Head of the Buddha.

The Line of the Unaalome is straigh and unwavering
- Perfect and complete. Following this thought, when you have finished
the drawing the 'Bones' (outlines) of the Yant and finished all Khom
letterings; The Yant should be Finished with the drawing of Unaalome
above the Yant - meaning that the Yant is now Complete.

All Yant are usually completed with the invocation
of a Mantra (Pra Kataa) in Pali sanskrit, which is subsequently blown
into the yant with your breath (Called Phao kataa / Puug Saeg). Most
Pra Kataa finish with the Phrase / Spell; 'Ma A U'.

There are also Yantra that use Numbers instead of
Symbols to indicate the meaning. Sometimes in order to shorten the
length of the Agkara (khom lettering), the Yantmaster may prefer to use
Numbers to represent the PhraKataa (Mantra).

For example, if you want to write the mantra
'Nowahorakun' (A Sang Wi Su Loe Bu Sa Pu Pa - Nine Syllables),
you can write the number 9 instead (Thai Numeral). One should
intone the Kataa as one inscribes or tattoos the number onto the
surface one is working on .

The Following Sutras are Kataa to be intoned whilst
applying the Yant;

Harmonising Sutra

Rules of behaviour when going to recieve a Yant tattoo
from a Buddhist Monk/Brahmin shaman;

When one approaches the shrine where the Yant are
tattooed, one must leave one's shoes on the steps leading up to the
room. You should obtain offerings for the Master before entering the
salon; Incense sticks, Flower garlands, money in an envelope, and maybe
a packet of krong tip cigarettes if you whish (plus a can of birdy ice
coffee! - it gets hot in the room, and the monks like to drink this
stuff).

Upon entering, you should go to your knees, place your
hands in a praying position in front of your forehead and then bow
forward , placing the palms of your hands on the floor. This you should
repeat three times.

After this you can sit around in the queue, and watch
the devotees recieve their Yant tattoos, while you wait to be called
your turn (if you are lucky, you may get to see Khong Khuen occur!).
When you are called for your tattoo, you should present the offerings
outstretched on a silver tray before you, and the Monk will take hold
of the tray, and say a Kataa to bless you and the offerings before the
tattoo.

After this he will perform 'Piti Hwai Kru gaeji Ajarn'
(Call of respect to the Ruesii), and ask you to get into position for
the tattoo. After the tattoo, you should place your hands together
again, and the Monk will perform 'Tong kataa Bpuug Saeg' (Invoke a
Mantra), and blow it into the Yant tattoo with his breath.

You should then bow 3 times again and the ritual is
finished.

About the popular rumor that the Temple is overrun by
Criminals seeking Yant tattoos;

It is true, that hired killers like to wear Sacred yant
tattoos, but i have to say that all levels of Society has people who
wear a Yant. Even if it is 'Sak Nam Man' (using oil instead of ink).

Soldiers, policemen, Politicians, Doctors lawyers
etc...and Criminals too. No exceptions are made about who a monk allows
to have a Yant, except if you come drunk or in an unacceptable state.

Extra information about Sak
Yant tattooing.

The Thais believe that the Yant tattoo will have the
power to charm a desired lover, protect one from one's enemy, or even
stop a bullet!

Strange phenomenae have occured throughought the ages in
connection with the Yant - such as a famous Thai Air Force Pilot being
shot repeatedly with an M16 and only having bruises! Or guns being
repeatedly shot at someone with a Yant, and the gun not going off. I
thought i would explain about 'Master Day' before we take a look at
some of the Yant Tattoos and look at their meaning.

Master day is the day where all Disciples attend the
Temple to pay respects to the Master of Yant.

On this occasion up to 10,000 believers bestow the
temple with their presence, and recieve the blessings and hear the
Master of the Wad (Temple) chant the 'Kataa Hua Jai' (Heart Mantra) of
each of the 108 Yant. Gur Ru Su Gu Na Ma Pa Ta, Ma A U...the chant of
leaping Tiger Yant; made popular by the 'Suea' (Highwaymen/Villians) of
the past, and the 'Nak Laeng' (Asassins/Mafia)of the present.

Leaping Tiger yant is one of the Yant that made Bang Pra
famous, supposedly having the power to awaken the spirit of the Tiger
when one is in danger.This is what the Thais call 'Khong Khuen' (thing
rises). Khong Khuen is the strange occurence of the Tattooee losing
awareness and becoming absorbed by the spirit of the animal has been
tattooed with. I have seen this Phenomenon on many occasions at the Wad.
Sak Yant is an Ancient Tradition and should not be taken lightly when
considering recieving a Sak Yant Tattoo.
The rules of wearing the Yant, and the implications of breaching the
vows of Buddhism require a certain levelm of serieousness when
recieving yant tattoos from a Monk, and the effects of recieving Sak
yant will reverberate throughout the rest of your life, once having
recieved a sacred yant.
So please be respectful, meek and unfrivolous when visiting the
Temple/office of a sak yant Master, and dont forget to be a little
generous when making the donation for the yant tattoo.